OSHA proposes $3.5M after Channelview spill cleanup injuries
United States Labor Workers and Federal Enforcement – OSHA says three companies exposed cleanup workers to hazardous conditions after a Channelview sulfuric-acid spill.
OSHA says it is proposing more than $3.5 million in penalties against three companies after a hazardous cleanup job at BWC Terminals in Channelview, Texas, left workers injured following a sulfuric-acid spill.
The June 29, 2026 enforcement action centers on a Dec. 27, 2025 incident that OSHA says began when fresh and spent sulfuric acid were mixed, overpressurizing a tank and rupturing a supply line. The agency says about 1 million gallons were released and multiple employees were injured.
Who OSHA cited
The proposed penalties name BWC Terminals LLC, Coastal Environmental Solutions Inc. and One Way Environmental Services LLC. OSHA said BWC hired Coastal for hazardous waste cleanup, and Coastal subcontracted One Way to supply laborers for the remediation work.
OSHA’s penalty breakdown is uneven: One Way faces $3,045,452; Coastal faces $392,501; and BWC faces $82,750. Together, the proposed penalties total $3,520,703.
What OSHA says went wrong
According to the agency, investigators found failures tied to training, respirator protection, hazardous-waste cleanup safeguards and emergency response planning. OSHA said One Way sent workers into the cleanup without adequate training, respirator fit testing or other required safety measures. Coastal was cited for problems including a lack of training, a safety and health program, an emergency response plan and respirator-related deficiencies. BWC was cited for exposing workers to chemical burns, failing to provide hazmat training and having respirator deficiencies.
OSHA said the companies have 15 business days after receiving the citations to comply, request an informal conference or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
For workers and employers, the case is a reminder that OSHA can pursue facility owners, contractors and subcontractors when cleanup work is sent in without the basics: training, fit-tested respirators and a workable emergency plan. That issue has national relevance because spill response and industrial cleanup often depend on layered contractor chains.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA release, June 29, 2026
- KPRC 2 Houston report, June 29, 2026
- Bloomberg Law Texas Brief, June 29, 2026
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